Enrique Jorda, 84, Orchestra Director In San Francisco

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Enrique Jorda, a Spanish-born American conductor who was music director of the San Francisco Symphony from 1954 to 1963, died on March 22 at his home in Brussels. He was 84.

Mr. Jorda was born in San Sebastian on March 24, 1911, and had his musical training at Madrid University and at the Sorbonne in Paris, where he studied organ, composition and conducting. He made his professional conducting debut in Paris in 1937, and upon his return to Spain in 1940 he was appointed music director of the Madrid Symphony Orchestra. He held that post for five years. From 1948 until he took over the San Francisco podium in 1954, he was music director of the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra in South Africa.

In San Francisco, Mr. Jorda succeeded Pierre Monteux, and during his nine-year tenure he brought many new works to the orchestra's repertory. Among them were works by Ives, Rodrigo, Turina, Hindemith, Ponce, Vaughan Williams and Leon Kirchner.

Also in San Francisco, he conducted the world premiere of Rodrigo's "Fantasia Para un Gentilhombre," with Andres Segovia as the soloist. His other world premieres included "San Francisco Symphony," by Roy Harris; Symphonies No. 8 and 12, by Milhaud; "San Francisco Suite," by Grofe, and "Legend," by Andrew Imbrie. He led the American premieres of Henze's Symphony No. 2, Milhaud's Symphony No. 5, "Nones," by Berio, and "Incontri," by Luigi Nono.

Mr. Jorda made recordings with both the San Francisco Symphony and the Symphony of the Air, several of which have recently been reissued on CD. After he left San Francisco, he was a guest conductor in Europe, South America and Australia. He published a book, "El Director de Orquesta Ante la Partitura," in 1969, and from 1970 to 1976 he was director of the Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra in Belgium.

He is survived by his wife, Audrey, and two daughters, Karin Jorda and Tessa Jorda Brewer.

A version of this obituary; biography appears in print on March 31, 1996, on Page 1001041 of the National edition with the headline: Enrique Jorda, 84, Orchestra Director In San Francisco. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe